B/R Experts: Big-Game Predictions for January 6-8
After a breathless festive period of Premier League action, the domestic focus in England shifts to the FA Cup.
It's the third round of the competition; the moment when the big boys come to the party and look to avoid the upset.
European football also returns from its winter break, and our experts will look to point you in the way of the winners.
Bleacher Report's Dean Jones has his finger on the pulse of English football and will give his verdict on the FA Cup games, Italian football guru Adam Digby is charged with the task of deciphering what's going on in Serie A, and Spanish expert Karl Matchett looks after La Liga.
West Ham United vs. Manchester City
1 of 11
This is an intriguing test for moody Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
He was a man of few words after his side made hard work of a league win over Burnley on Monday. But, ahead of this London Stadium encounter, he needs to deliver a rousing speech that ensures his men know exactly what is at stake.
Guardiola's best chance of first-season silverware is in the FA Cup, so City need to make a statement.
Sergio Aguero was rested until half-time against Burnley but then scored City's winner in a 2-1 victory. He now has 17 goals from 21 appearances and will want to play from the start on Friday night.
West Ham have their own weapon up front in the shape of Andy Carroll, and he will surely make the starting XI as the Hammers test City’s mental fragility.
Manager Slaven Bilic's men have not scored in their last two matches, but the prospect of facing Manchester City's defence could be a good time to restore confidence. City's only clean sheet away from home in the past two months was against Hull City.
It would be no surprise if the Etihad Stadium team make this fixture hard for themselves, but they cannot afford to lose.
Result: 1-2
First goalscorer: Michail Antonio
Manchester United vs. Reading
2 of 11
Confidence inside Old Trafford seems to be at its highest since former manager Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down from his throne.
Current United boss Jose Mourinho is unbeaten in domestic competition since October 23, and this side are vastly improved from that day when they were hammered 4-0 by Chelsea.
There are signs that the Portuguese is building something special at Old Trafford.
United won't win the league this season, but Mourinho does want silverware; he has chances to do that in this competition, as well as the EFL Cup and UEFA Europa League. He will want to win all three, which makes this trip all the more daunting for Championship side Reading.
It's difficult to predict United's starting lineup but expect the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford to make an impact.
Reading will not roll over, though. Manager Jaap Stam's side have scored three goals in each of their last three matches and have won eight of their last 10 outings.
Result: 2-1
First goalscorer: Anthony Martial
Preston North End vs. Arsenal
3 of 11
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger cannot even consider the prospect of defeat on a cold night in the north-west of England.
There was a poisonous feeling among Gunners supporters as they trailed Bournemouth on Tuesday evening. Wenger hailed his side's mentality in a BBC interview after they clawed their way back to 3-3, but that was not enough to ease the angst of fans who fear another season of frustration is taking hold.
Mesut Ozil is unlikely to play at Preston North End on Saturday after illness, while Alexis Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny will be rested. Too many changes could prove risky, though.
Arsenal were stagnant in attack when star names were left out in their EFL Cup campaign, and there could be no complaints as they were convincingly beaten 2-0 by Southampton in the quarter-finals.
Preston are 11th in the Championship and will lean on the experience of Paul Gallagher in midfield to give them hope of an upset.
However, Arsenal should still have enough quality and power to get over the line.
Result: 1-2
First goalscorer: Alex Iwobi
Real Madrid vs. Granada
4 of 11
Real Madrid have started 2017 in the same way they ended 2016—in winning form and looking strong.
It's hugely unlikely that relegation-threatened Granada have even the merest possibility of being the team to end Los Blancos' 38-game unbeaten run; in fact, it's a fair bet that Real could clock up one of their biggest results of the season on Saturday after a brief break for some key players.
Even several midfield injury absentees won't hinder manager Zinedine Zidane's team, and Granada—with the worst away defensive record in La Liga—will do well to simply bed in deep in their own half and wait for counter-attacking opportunities.
Real Madrid to win 5-0, and Cristiano Ronaldo—left out for Wednesday's Copa del Rey victory over Sevilla—to net first and continue his celebratory end-of-year mood into 2017.
Result: 5-0
First goalscorer: Cristiano Ronaldo
Eibar vs. Atletico Madrid
5 of 11
Atletico Madrid have a lot of catching up to do in the second half of the season, but they could not have chosen a tougher game to kickstart things with in La Liga.
SD Eibar have been resolute at home, losing only once, and Atleti's away form leaves a lot to be desired this season.
The goals have been shared around manager Diego Simeone's team, but no single player—including Antoine Griezmann—is really putting themselves forward as a guarantee of finding the net, especially on the road.
It's unlikely to be the prettiest match of the weekend in La Liga, and for either team to take all three points on Saturday, they will require a slice of fortune and enormous concentration in defence.
Result: 1-1
First goalscorer: Sergi Enrich
Liverpool vs. Plymouth Argyle
6 of 11
Not many teams in world football would fancy a trip to Anfield right now, but when you're an in-form side from League Two, what have you got to lose?
Plymouth Argyle have won 15 of 24 league matches this season and sit second in the table, so they should have confidence as they head into Sunday's daunting fixture.
Let's not pretend they have much chance of a result, though; Liverpool are in superb form.
The Reds have found the net in all but one home match this season. They are the Premier League's highest scorers and have lost just one of their last 22 matches across all competitions.
This is going to be a home win; it's just a case of how many Liverpool score.
Keep an eye on Plymouth midfielder and lifelong Liverpool fan Graham Carey, who has been one of the Pilgrims' outstanding players this term.
Result: 3-0
First goalscorer: Divock Origi
Chelsea vs. Peterborough United
7 of 11
Here we go: The 13-game winning streak is over, so all eyes are on Antonio Conte to monitor his reaction.
Was Wednesday's defeat at Tottenham Hotspur a minor blip or will doubt set in now? Could Chelsea crumble?
In all honesty, this is a perfect game for the Blues to wipe away memories of their White Hart Lane nightmare. They can take out their pain on Peterborough—and probably will.
League One Posh have only conceded three goals in their last five matches and are unbeaten in seven. That sounds promising, but then you have to remember they are 51 places below the top-flight leaders.
Spurs enjoyed success over Chelsea by switching to a three-man defence and using wing-backs to great effect. It would be an incredible feat if Peterborough coach Grant McCann came up with a similar tactical masterclass on Sunday.
Result: 3-0
First goalscorer: Willian
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa
8 of 11
There is no logic that could begin to suggest an away victory in this FA Cup clash.
Spurs have just pulled off the best result of the season by ending Chelsea's 13-game winning streak with a Dele Alli-inspired 2-0 success at White Hart Lane. They have won their last five Premier League games and have only failed to score twice in the past 15 outings.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa head to north London on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Cardiff City on Monday, meaning they have one win from their last six away games. To add to the problem, they will be without star striker Jonathan Kodjia, who is on international duty with Ivory Coast.
Aston Villa have only scored seven goals away from home in the Championship this season, so if they score against this impressive Spurs defence on Sunday, it will be an achievement in itself.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino will make changes, but Tottenham have good strength in depth these days—as well as the feelgood factor. This is a time when Spurs are making a statement.
Result: 2-0
First goalscorer: Heung-Min Son
Villarreal vs. Barcelona
9 of 11
Villarreal against Barcelona has been one of the most watchable fixtures in La Liga over the past few seasons, and Sunday's game should be no different.
The Yellow Submarine have the best defensive record in La Liga, while Barca have the most prolific attack—as well as winning the most points on the road this term.
Manager Luis Enrique's squad is fit and healthy, and he will be able to choose his strongest Barca XI. When that’s the case, they can usually outgun opponents.
Villarreal's last home league game was a 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid, so they won't lack for confidence in front of their own supporters, but we'll opt for a 3-2 Barcelona win, with Lionel Messi making a statement by scoring first.
Result: 2-3
First goalscorer: Lionel Messi
AC Milan vs. Cagliari
10 of 11
AC Milan return to league action on Sunday buoyed by winning their first trophy since 2011.
As discussed in this previous post, head coach Vincenzo Montella has overseen a revolution at San Siro, turning a mixture of unproven young talent and veteran castoffs into a thrillingly cohesive unit capable of defeating any opponent if they perform at their best.
Solid in defence and with the deadly Carlos Bacca in attack, they boast the third-meanest back line in Serie A and a plethora of weapons going forward, while also proving exceptional at winning matches after falling behind.
Conversely, Cagliari have been woeful this term, conceding a league-high 42 goals thus far amid an array of internal conflicts that are causing problems on and off the field.
A comfortable win for the Rossoneri—perhaps by a 3-0 scoreline—is the likeliest outcome, with former Liverpool man Suso in the kind of form that makes him an ideal first-goalscorer candidate.
Result: 3-0
First goalscorer: Suso
Juventus vs. Bologna
11 of 11
Table-topping Juventus will be looking to bounce back from their Supercoppa Italiana disappointment when Serie A returns from its winter break.
Defeated on penalties by AC Milan, the Bianconeri need to improve rapidly before they take on bitter rivals Fiorentina on Jan. 15 and show the rest of the league that they remain a formidable force.
Juve have not lost in their last six meetings with Bologna, but the Rossoblu are the last side to hold head coach Massimiliano Allegri's men to a draw, with February’s 0-0 stalemate preventing the Old Lady from breaking the Serie A record for consecutive wins.
However, the Turin giants have won their last 25 fixtures at Juventus Stadium, a record that is likely to continue on Sunday against a Bologna side that has slumped to 15th place this term.
Poor at keeping the ball and error-prone, the visitors have their work cut out even as Juve struggle for an identity in the side.
Expect Juventus to win by a two-goal margin, with Gonzalo Higuain's excellent form likely to make him the only realistic option in the first-goalscorer market.
Result: 2-0
First goalscorer: Gonzalo Higuain
.png?w=600 "New NBA Mock Draft 📝")
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")
